Sony, which once had a significant presence in the smartphone industry, has seen its influence wane in the United States, despite its persistent efforts.

Nevertheless, the company continues to release annual updates to its Xperia series, and the newly unveiled Xperia 1 VI could be the dream gadget for both hobbyist and expert photographers, showcasing Sony's renowned prowess in camera technology.

The flagship's sixth iteration is brimming with features aimed at photography enthusiasts, potentially convincing them to switch from their current iPhone or Pixel devices.

The device comes equipped with a trio of cameras on its rear: a 24mm primary camera boasting a 48-megapixel Sony Exmor T sensor, a 16mm ultra-wide lens, and a variable zoom telephoto lens ranging from 85-170mm, delivering magnification levels between 3.5x to 7.1x compared to the primary camera.

Additionally, Sony introduces an AI-powered autofocus system with 'human pose estimation' technology that identifies the optimal focus based on the subject's posture, alongside a camera system capable of 4K HDR video recording at 120fps.

Beyond its impressive camera capabilities, the Xperia 1 VI features cutting-edge hardware including the Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 chipset, 12GB of RAM, and options for either 256GB or 512GB of storage, supported by a 5,000mAh battery offering up to two days of usage and supporting both 15W wireless charging and battery sharing.

Pre-orders for the Sony Xperia 1 VI are now open in the UK, with a staggering price tag of $1,640, though Sony has no immediate plans to launch the smartphone in the United States.